60 more jobless each day in region

UNEMPLOYMENT across Greater Manchester rose 4.4 per cent in the three months to July to more than 128,000. Figures show around 60 people are losing their jobs every day in the region, with the number of jobseekers' allowance claimants passing 80,000 for the first time in more than a decade. Not all unemployed people claim JSA.

UNEMPLOYMENT across Greater Manchester rose 4.4 per cent in the three months to July to more than 128,000.

Figures show around 60 people are losing their jobs every day in the region, with the number of jobseekers' allowance claimants passing 80,000 for the first time in more than a decade. Not all unemployed people claim JSA.

The data from the Office for National Statistics shows 5.1 per cent of residents are now claiming unemployment benefit, the highest number since January 2007.

Unemployment has increased in every one of the Greater Manchester boroughs - and many areas have seen a much sharper increase in JSA claimants than in previous months. The worst affected boroughs in terms of a month-on-month increase in claimants were Tameside and Manchester.

Rochdale is proportionally the worst affected area in Greater Manchester, with overall unemployment now standing at six per cent.

Peter Heginbotham, president of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce , said: "This is obviously disappointing news for the region, with unemployment figures rising across all boroughs without exception.

"History tells us that unemployment continues to rise during a recovery period.

"What is disappointing about the increase, quite apart from the effect on each individual, is that this is despite businesses and employees being much more inventive in this recession, with many preferring reduced hours, job-sharing and other initiatives to job losses."

Youth unemployment continued to increase steeply with the number of claimants aged 16 to 24 rising by 5.9 per cent to 27,535.

Nationally, unemployment increased by 210,000 to 2.47m in the three months to July, taking the jobless rate to 7.9 per cent,

But figures released by Jobcentre Plus show that the number of vacancies reported to them in Greater Manchester has increased by over a third this month to 18,962.

John Holden, head of economic research at Manchester's Commission for the New Economy said: "The rise in job vacancies is positive, particularly as growth was quicker in Greater Manchester than the British average."